BATTLE CREEK, Mich. -- It's been at least six years since the last woman graduated from the Michigan Army National Guard's Officer Candidate School.
That was one motivating factor for 2nd Lt. Samantha Swiatek.
The other, she said, was that her grandfather, Harold Yarrington, would be there to salute her after graduation.
Swiatek graduated Officer Candidate School on Sunday, April 13. Her 93-year-old veteran grandfather had the honor of being her first salute at the Fort Custer graduation ceremony.
In the Army, the first salute is a tradition that recognizes an officer's new rank following their commissioning ceremony.
"It was definitely one of the most memorable moments of my life," Swiatek said. "It's important doing anything difficult to know your 'why.' And he was a big 'why' for me."
During his time in the service, Yarrington said men would cross the street to avoid saluting a female officer. Today, he is proud to salute his granddaughter.
"I think it's great," he said.
Yarrington was drafted in 1952 and served on a minesweeper for the U.S. Navy for 2½ years.
"He would always say that being in the military was the best time of his life," Swiatek said. "Experiencing it myself ... nothing compares to that."
Now 35 with a career in finance, Swiatek said she missed the camaraderie and competition of sports.
"This kind of fills that void for me," she said. "It's a way to stay active and be part of a team."
The Michigan Army National Guard's traditional officer program takes a year to complete, Swiatek said. The three phases include two weeks in Minnesota, two weeks in Alabama and monthly weekend meetings in Michigan.
Swiatek completed basic training in 2022. At 33 years old, she was the oldest in her company.
There's a 4-mile run, a 12-mile ruck and several fitness and military history exams to complete, Swiatek said.
Seven candidates graduated on Sunday.
"We're here because we trained to standard, with no compromise," Swiatek said in the speech she delivered during the ceremony. "We've been tested, refined and forged as a team. We're ready -- not just to get to the fight, but to lead it."
Physically, some of the requirements are more difficult for women than for their male counterparts, she said.
"I think we need more female representation in combat roles in general," she said. "I think showing that women can do that is important."
There are several ways someone can earn an officer's rank, including college ROTC, active duty or going straight to officer school following basic training.
Getting her degree and starting a full-time career initially seemed like barriers to joining the service, she said. In officer training, they became strengths.
"An officer is like the manager of the group, I had experience in that," Swiatek said.
The traditional training route is great for those who have a full-time job, a college degree and a desire to serve, Swiatek said. She's a finance specialist at her day job.
After training, the Army National Guard requires one weekend of service a month, she said.
"I get to go out and do crazy things and then come back to my desk job," Swiatek said. "It's a good balance."
© 2025 Advance Local Media LLC.
Visit mlive.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
